title: Lgr5 Identifies Progenitor Cells Capable of Taste Bud Regeneration after Injury.
abstract: Taste buds are composed of a variety of taste receptor cell types that develop from tongue epithelium and are regularly replenished under normal homeostatic conditions as well as after injury. The characteristics of cells that give rise to regenerating taste buds are poorly understood. Recent studies have suggested that Lgr5 (leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5) identifies taste bud stem cells that contribute to homeostatic regeneration in adult circumvallate and foliate taste papillae, which are located in the posterior region of the tongue. Taste papillae in the adult anterior region of the tongue do not express Lgr5. Here, we confirm and extend these studies by demonstrating that Lgr5 cells give rise to both anterior and posterior taste buds during development, and are capable of regenerating posterior taste buds after injury induced by glossopharyngeal nerve transection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States of America ; Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States of America ; Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors.forename: Norifumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Rajan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Deqiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min Min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006706:Homeostasis; D051379:Mice; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D012038:Regeneration; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C493597:Lgr5 protein, mouse; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C465570:Shh protein, mouse